GM Granta's AP Planning

Game Master Granta

Working on my feats led me to working on weapons. I feel it is good to have some sort of weapon so I can contribute continuously in combat. I can't use up all of my spells in one encounter and then be useless the rest of the day.

I'm not building for melee combat so I'm looking at ranged weapons. If I go with a crossbow then I don't need a feat to use it but I would want the rapid reload feat soon otherwise I can only go half-speed in combat. If I go with a shortbow then I need to take the weapon proficiency feat. So in either case I need a feat to be useful. The crossbow is 1d8 dmg with a broader crit range. The shortbow is 1d6 dmg with a "20" crit range but a 3x multiplier. In general it seems that finding random arrows (with special abilities) is more likely than bolts.

To summarize:
feats: crossbow vs. shortbow is a wash
damage: a crossbow generates more damage (base dmg and crits)
ammo: "special" arrows are more common than "special" bolts

Based on this I am leaning towards the crossbow but I'm seeking feedback from you guys.

By the time you get an iterative attack, you should have enough spells to last the day, so I don't see much use in rapid reload. And don't worry/plan for special ammunition; I will almost certainly let you buy it in small lots.

Without rapid reload I need a full round to load the crossbow. That means that I cannot move and attack in the same turn. Won't that always be a hindrance?

Light crossbow. Heavy is absolute shit.

Oh wait! I was confused. I have only been talking about the light crossbow. For some reason I thought a light needed a full round. It doesn't. Ok. So I really don't need rapid reload, just like you said.

Thanks for helping me see that.

Ok. So here's where I'm at with feats.

3rd Improved Initiative
5th Craft Magic Arms and Armor (5th level)
7th Spell Penetration
9th Greater Spell Penetration
11th Destructive Dispel (CL 11)
13th
15th
17th

Toughness?
Expanded Arcana?
Weapon Focus (crossbow)?
Quicken Spell (why not just a rod?)
Spell Focus?
Voice of the Sibyl?

I normally don't plan things out this much in advance because I find that it can be better to react to the unfolding story and how other characters are acting. I consider this plan a "plan" in the sense that it doesn't survive first contact with the enemy. But it seems like a reasonable start.

Now I need to nail down a story feat.

Suede

Seren's Seven
Sir Godfrey
Miles the Marked

Purple Dragon Knight

Skivven
Raynor
Yanndu
Vina
Chaine
Theodric

Hello everyone!

Glad to join you all in this AP! Disclaimer: I'm running this F2F already, so I'll try not to spoil anything for you.

What are the class choices so far? are the restrictions in the Gameplay thread still in effect? Thank you.

PS: by 'class choices' I meant --> what do we have so far for a party? sorry for the confusion.

I believe current composition is fighter, wizard, oracle, rogue. Only change to class restrictions is that 'archetype' includes non-archetype alternatives and Lion Blade is legal, but not until the PCs actually join the organization.

Copying from older post (this one)

Blake's Tiger bringing the skills
Aerondor bringing the HP battery ;)
MindXing bringing the full divine
Melda bringing the full arcane

Then I'll whip up a bloodrager for the full BAB!

Aerondor left us, but the role was anyway the 'extra', so almost anything goes, I think?

Current classes are what Granta said. Well, actually, I made two characters, a combat ice sorcerer and a social wizard. We had some thoughts about trying blind-fight tactics, which the sorcerer can manage at mid levels. Anyway, much is still open.

Very well I'll whip up a bard on Monday. Thanks for your inputs everyone!

I have a question about the story feats. How do we meet the prerequisites for a feat? For example, if I wanted the Arisen story feat, how do I meet the prerequisite of "You must have been slain and brought back from the dead, or have the Left to Die or Cursed Birth background". It seems too easy for me to just tell GM Granta, "oh yeah, I died and was brought back to life. Trust me, it happened."

That would have to happen during the AP.

So we tell you which story feat we are going for and then you arrange circumstances so that we can meet the prerequisite?

In theory, yes.

Sorry, was a bit busy this weekend and today with this whole ice storm business... ;)

When do you intend to start this GM Granta? I'll work my bard in time for it...

Can we have a story feat at start if it doesn't require anything special? Unforgotten, Lost Legacy, True Love, Vengeance, Nemesis are easily built to the background story. Maybe also Liberator and Accursed.

The posting in the game play thread says that we each get a story feat at character creation. Does that mean we need to pick one of the ones that Melda indicated? That is, one of the feats that has a prerequisite that we could work into our backstory?

The beginning of the first discussion on Story Feats and the need to meet the pre-requisites.

Re-posting for PDK's benefit.

Draft feat progression

As far as bards go, I think our party could use a vanilla bard or a Court Bard. Although, I was sorely tempted to make a Wit.

I'm planning vanilla: don't wanna lose inspire courage, competence, versatile performance and bardic knowledge! :)

Hi GM Granta - This is GM PDK.

Please let me know if the following PC would work for your campaign. She's been exiled from Kintargo and sought refuge in Oppara.

PS: I'll double check the point buy on her and add a story feat. The stat block spitter didn't spit the drawback either... will look into that...
PS2: I'm currently going through your Gameplay character creation rules and making changes as appropriate.

Valeria is all fixed now:
-pt. buy 20
-bonus Granta skill: Craft (clothing)
-campaign trait: Rising Star
-story feat: Shamed

Let me know if you want me to change anything. As per my PM, Chelish Diva archetype is not from a bound book but I can provide the PDF or any link you need (archives of nethys has it).

Operatic racial trait (human) is also out of your specs but can remove it if necessary, which would also remove the drawback.

Let me know if you have any questions or recommended modifications.

-removing Operatic and Hedonistic (sorry Pavo! lol)
-switching Chelish Diva to regular bard (bardic knowledge back on the menu!)

Curses! Could have automatically solved that drawback with a screen jump each day. ;)

I can take it back... if you suggest an interesting alternative for a third trait... :)

PS: I've updated the skills spreadsheet; bardic knowledge rocks! Chelish Diva and its fancy casting in Heavy Armor isn't worth it! :)

Should be a fun group of characters!

I think I'm going with the wizard Delena. Crafting is so much easier, and her social skills are better. I'm just thinking about her skills, we have now two with profession: barrister. Maybe craft: alchemy or something.

If she dies, I'll have a backup.

I just moved last weekend, and am living with a girlfriend for the first time in my life, so I haven't had much spare time or energy. I expect things to start settling down next week though, and maybe even this weekend.

If there are any questions that I've missed, I would be grateful if you re-asked them, so that I don't have to worry about searching the thread or re-missing them.

Sounds like good news to me, hooray for you Granta! :)

Low energy? I remember those days... (i.e. 'before' marriage, lol)

In honor of Granta's new evening options, I will give back the Hedonistic drawback to Valeria. :P

Now please suggest an extra trait for her! :)

Charming, if you take language dependent spells later (like Hideous Laughter)

In one of the games I am running, a player just got bitten by a ghoul. They knew about the disease and paralysis potential, but when making their saves, do they know which is for which? The PC failed both of them (ouch) and is likely going to use a reroll, so I'd like to make sure they have the appropriate information when making the choice on which save to reroll.

I am more interested in RAW, but if there isn't anything on it, y'alls thoughts on the matter would be great :)

There's nothing written that I'm aware of. I would let them choose which effect to re-roll because why antagonize the player. The re-roll mechanic is OOC anyhow, if it's the PFS merchandise re-roll, but even if it was a trait or class ability, I'd let them choose.

I had a similar discussion once with a GM who secretly rolled disease saves: neither of us could find anything official one way or the other on character's (or player's) knowledge of saves. So in the absence of an official ruling, I usually give PC's the benefit of the doubt on knowledge (but not on power).

I think that whole saving throw system is pretty OOC, so I would let people to quite freely use the reroll abilities, at least if they succeeded in knowledge roll.

Cool, thanks for all the input! I made sure they knew what was happening and could make an informed decision.

Please format your profiles and stat bars using this template. And if you have ideas for improving the template or notice something that is missing, just let me know.

Once you have a completed draft of your character in that format, please post here. But don't worry, character creation isn't finalized yet. It's just time to do a group review.

I did the thing!

In the tagline, you have reroll listed. Are we getting some sort of reroll system, or should we delete it? I omitted PFS related stuff in the character sheet.

Formatting complete. I assumed re-roll is the GM Star bonus. Let me know if everything is ok.

PS: I love this format - can I borrow this for Hell's Rebels?

PS2: noticed that 'Speed' is missing from taglines. Some of the formats I used before had it - do you wish to add it in?

That is my template for PFS, so just ignore anything society-related.

Yes, feel free to use it in your own games.

And good idea, I'll add speed to the tagline.

Edit: Two changes made, and highlighted in red.

Here is my alias, I copied about everything from earlier post.

Probably needs some tweaking, at least the gold section needs to be checked as a noble outfit just costs too much. Didn't we get something of that sort free or with a loan?

Yes, I know the avatar's eyes look strange, but otherwise it is a very good match.

I have yet to do equipment.

Pavo and MX, how are your profiles coming along?

You mean with the new template? I'm working on it. I'm hoping to get something up tonight (i.e., the next 3 hours).

Stats, skills, feats, traits complete. Equipment and Bot still to be done.

Ok, here is Thalasou.

Not sure what to put in "Spells & Abilities". Do you want all my spells listed there? And what is the "reroll" thing?

That template was originally for my PFS characters, so it's the shirt reroll--which we aren't using. I use the "spells & abilities" section to track consumable dailies, i.e. # of spells for spontaneous casters, rounds of rage or bardic performance, ki pool, etc.

Re: noble outfit

You get a line of credit equal for a courtier's outfit, which can be applied toward a noble's outfit if you pay the difference. And either way, you are loaned enough costume jewelry to complete the outfit.